Draft excluding strip for door



J. BURDA DRAFT EXCLUDING STRIP FOR DOOR Filed Nov. 50, 1959 IN VENTOR flw BY A g; f JAM/ ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1963 I NW 4 I 3,972,977 Patented Jan. 15, 19 63 nee 3,072,977 DRAFT EXQLUDING STRIP FOR DOUR Josef Burda, Gherkasseler Strasse 74, Dusseldorf-@berkassel, Germany Filed Nov. 30, 1559, Ser. No. 856,151 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 1, 1958 4 Claims. ((11. 20-68) The present invention relates to a draft excluding strip for a door.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a draft excluding strip to close the gap between the bottom edge of a door and a floor even if the floor is inclined inv relation to the bottom edge of the door.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a draft excluding strip which is mounted on the door freely movable to close an irregular gap between the door and the It is a still further object of this invention to provide a spring-loaded strip to close the gap between the bottom edge of a door so as to compensate for the uneven shape 'of the floor.

With these objects in view a draft excluding strip according to this invention comprises in combination, elongated sealing means extending along the bottom edge of a door, support means secured to the lower edge portion of the door and supporting the sealing means for movement between a sealing position wherein the sealing means engage the floor and a retracted position wherein the sealing means is spaced from the floor, biasing means urging the sealing means to the retracted position, and actuating means for moving the sealing means into the sealing position and engaging another element when the door is closed to operate the sealing means.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the support means support the sealing means for movement parallel to itself and also turnable within a vertical plane between the sealing position and the retracted position.

According to a still further aspect of this invention, the pivot means include a lever pivoted at one end to the support and at the other end thereof to the center portion of the sealing means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the device of the present invention in the retracted position thereof;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the sealing position thereof with parts broken away to show some of the interior parts thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational sectional view along lines IIIlII of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device of the present invention taken in direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of an element illustrated in FIG. 4 in its shape before its assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the supporting means are attached to the door and comprise a support member 1 in the shape of an inverted U in cross section secured to the bottom portion of the door 31, which may be conveniently located in a slit at the bottom portion of the door, and will in this case be fastened by holding means 2 secured by screws 34 on the side edges of the bottom portion of the door 31. If the door is too thin to place the support member 1 in a slit or if this placing is impossible because the door is made out of steel, the support memher 1 may be conveniently screwed to a lower portion of the door at the inner side thereof.

A carrier 3, made of aluminum, is located between the legs of the U-shaped support member 1 for free movement therein in a vertical plane. Carrier 3, clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is of H-shape in cross-section, and has upper legs 16 and lower legs 17. The bottom portions of lower legs 17 have projections 22 projecting toward each other.

An elongated sealing strip 18 is placed between legs 17 and when the same are closed as indicated in FIG. 4 the sealing strip 18 will be permanently and securely retained between the lower legs 17 of the H-shaped carrier 3. The lower portion of sealing strip 18 is rounded as indicated at 35 in FIG. 4.

Pins 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are secured to the support member 1 at the upper portion thereof. Pins 13, 14 and 15 are secured to the upper legs 16 of the carrier 3. A helically wound spring 4 is secured at one end to pin 8 and at its other end to pin 13, while spring 7 is secured at one end to pin 9 and at its other end to pin 13. Spring 6 is secured at one end thereof to pin 11 and at its other end to pin 15, while spring 27 is secured at one end to pin 12 and at its other end to pin 15. A rod 17a is located between the helical windings of spring 6 and is freely movable therein. A similar rod 17a is placed in like manner in spring 4. These rods 17a will prevent buckling of the helically wound springs 4 and 6 when compressed. Spring 4 and the rod 17a located therein as well as spring 6 with its rod 17a constitute therefore a pair of elastically extensible links.

A lever or link 5 is pivoted at one end to pin 10 and at its other end to a pin 14 located in the center portion of carrier 3. Lever 5 extends at a small angle to the horizontal and to the bottom edge of the door 31 while springs 4 and 6 extend parallel to the lever 5. Springs 7 and 27 extend at a similar angle in opposite direction. In this manner springs 4, 6, lever 5, and springs 7 and 27 form a parallelogram so that the sealing means including the sealing strip 18 and the carrier 3 are movable in relation to the support member 1 as indicated by the arrows 21 from a retracted position shown in FIG. 1 into a sealing position illustrated in FIG. 2 While lever 5 turns about pin 19 and springs 4 and 6 turn about pins 8 and 11 in a parallelogram motion. Springs 7 and 27 urge the seal ing means 3, 18 into the retracted position.

Since lever 5 is pivoted at 14 to the center portion of carrier 3 of the sealing means 3, 18, engagement of the floor 33 by the sealing means 3, 18 will force the sealing means 3, 18 to pivot about pin 14 to occupy a position at an angle to the support member 1 but in full engagement with the entire bottom edge of the door 31, so as to seal a tapering gap between the bottom edge of the door 31 and the floor 33 if the bottom edge is not parallel to the floor.

A cranked lever 19 is mounted at 28 to the upper legs 16 of carrier 3. An actuating member 20 is screwed to the outer end of cranked lever 19 and projects to the outside of the support member 1. When the door is closed actuating member 20 will engage another element 32, which is preferably the part of the door frame carrying the door hinges, so that actuating member 20 is forced inwardly into the supporting member 1, and acting through the cranked lever 19 will move sealing means 3, 13 into the direction of the arrows 21 indicated in FIG. 1 while lever 5 turns about pin 10. Sealing strip 18 will fill the gap between the lower edge of the door or the lower edge of the support member 1 and the floor even if the gap is not a parallel area, since pin 14 on lever 5 will allow pivotal movement of sealing means 3. 18 about its center portion against the action of the springs.

The sealing strip is made of an elastically deformable material such asnatural .or synthetic rubber so as to seal and eificient seal. Since the sealing means are moved automatically-fromtthe retracted position into the sealing.

position by the closing of thedoor, and will follow irregularitiesof the floor and an irregular gap, the sealing strip will exclude any draft from the gap.

A displacement of the carrier 3'by the automatically operated actuating means-19, 29 will effect through guides 4, 7, 5, 17 and 27 a movement of the sealing means 3, 18 toward the floor as can be clearly seen by a-comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2.

An appropriate dimensioning of the elements 4, 5 and 6 and a change of their position along the sealing carrier 3 and support member 1 will enable the device to be utilized for gaps between the door and the floor of great variation in height.

The door can be opened even if a relatively thick carpet'is placedon the floor adjacent the gap and the door since a small movement of actuating means 19, 2% will result in a-substantial'movement of sealing means 3, 18 in a vertical plane so that the retracted sealingmeans 3, 18 will belocatedabove the carpet.

Actuating member 20 is screwed onto the cranked lever 19 and the projection of member 20 from the door can be adjusted by turning of member 20 on lever 1@. In this manner sufiicient pressure is exerted on member 2% when the door is closed to move the sealing means 3, 18 into the sealing position.

Pin 14 is located at the center portion of the carrier 3 and the carrier will pivot in relation to the support member lso that sealing means 3, 18 will follow the rim of floor 33. Furthermore, the springs can be adjusted to different heights of the gap. The rounded portion 35 of the sealing strip 18 will ensure that the same is not turned over.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of draft excluding strips differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in pivoted sealing means, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications--and structural changes may be made without departing in any Way from the spirit of the present invention.-

Without further analysis, the foregoingwill so fully'reveal .the gist of the present invention that others can by applyinglcurrent knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features that, from the,

standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaningand range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A draft excludingstrip to close a gap between the bottom edge of'a door and a floor, comprising, in combination, elongated" sealing. means extending. along the bottomedge of the door; link means for supporting said sealingtmeans and movable. in a substantially vertical plane between a sealing position wherein said sealing meansenga'ge said'floor and a retractedposition in which link being pivotally connected atv the other end thereof to the center region ofthe sealing means and said outer links beingpivotally connected at the other ends thereof a at one end thereof to said sealing means and at the other end thereof to said door for urging said sealing means into said retracted position; and actuating means operatively connected to said sealing means for moving the same to said sealing position against the bias of said biasing means and including an actuating member engaging another element when the door is closed to actuate said actuating means, whereby due to the rigidity of said rigid center link said actuating means will move said elongated sealing means in the region of said rigid center link into close contact with the floor and said elongated sealing means will, due to the elasticity of said outer links, be adapted to pivot about said rigid center link and engage in the sealing position thereof the floor with necessary pressure bottom edge of the door.

2. A draft excluding strip to close a gap between the 1 bottom edge of a door and a floor, comprising, in combination, an elongated hollow casing extending along the bottom edge of a door and having an open elongated bottom end; elongated sealing means in said casing and comprising a substantiallyrigid elongated carrier member and an elongated sealing'strip supported by said carrier member; link means for supporting said sealing means and movable in a substantially vertical plane between a sealing position wherein said-sealing means engage said floor and a retracted position in-Which said sealing means are spacedfrom said floor, said link means comprising a rigid center link of fixed length and a pair of elastically extensible outer links located respectively atopposite sides of said center link, said links extending inclined in one direction to the bottom edge of the door and being pivotally connected at oneend thereof to said elongated casing, said center link being pivotally connected at the other end thereof to the center region of the sealing means and said outer links being pivotally connected at the other. ends thereof to said sealing means at points longitudinally spaced from said center region; biasing means operatively connected at one end thereof to said sealing means and at the other end thereof to said door for urging said sealing means into said retracted position; and actuating means operatively connected to said sealing means for moving the sameto said sealing position against the bias of said iasing means and including an actuating member engaging another element when the door is closed to actuate said actuating means, whereby due tothe rigidity of said rigid center link said actuating means will move said elongated sealing means in the region of saidrigid center link into close contact with the floor and said elongated sealing meanswill, due to-the elasticity of said outer links, be adapted'to pivot about said rigid center link and engage in the sealing position thereof the floor with necessary bottom end; elongated sealing meansin said casing and comprising a substantially rigid elongated carrier member and an elongated'sealing strip supported by said carrier member; link means for supporting said sealing means and movable in a substantially vertical plane between a sealing.

positionwherein said sealing means engage said'floorand a retracted position in which said' sealing means are-- spaced from said floor, saidlink means comprising a'rigid center link of'fixed lengthand a pair of elastically extensible outer links located respectively at opposite sides of said center link, said links extending inclined in one direction tow the bottom edge of the door and being pivotally connected atone end thereof to said elongated casing, said center link being pivotally connected atthe other end thereof to the center region of the sealing means and said outer links being pivotally connected at the other endsthereof to said sealing means at points longitudinally".

spaced from said center region; biasing means operative-- ly connected to said sealing means for urging said sealing means into said retracted position, said biasing means comprising a pair of coil springs each connected at one end thereof to said sealing means substantially at the points at which the other ends of said outer links are connected, said coil springs extending from said one end thereof inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of said outer links and being connected at the other ends thereof to said casing; and actuating means operatively connected to said sealing means for moving the same to said sealing position against the bias of said. biasing means and including an actuating member engaging another element when the door is closed to actuate said actuating means, whereby due to the rigidity of said rigid center link said actuating means will move said elongated sealing means in the region of said rigid center link into close contact with the floor and said elongated sealing means will, due to the 5 elasticity of said outer links, be adapted to pivot about said rigid center link and engage in the sealing position thereof the floor with necessary pressure along its entire length even if such floor is inclined to the bottom edge of the door.

4. A draft excluding strip to close a gap between the bottom edge of a door and a fioor, comprising, in combination, an elongated hollow casing extending along the bottom edge of a door and having an open elongated bottom end; elongated sealing means in said casing and comprising a substantially rigid elongated carrier member and an elongated sealing strip supported by said carrier member; link means for supporting said sealing means and movable in a substantially vertical plane between a sealing position wherein said sealing means engage said floor and a retracted position in which said sealing means are spaced from said floor, said link means comprising a rigid center link of fixed length and a pair of elastically extensible outer links located respectively at opposite sides of said center link, said elastically extensible outer links comprising each a coil spring and a rod located in said coil spring for free axial movement therein, said links extending inclined in one direction to the bottom edge of the door and being pivotally connected at one end thereof to said elongated casing, said center link being pivotally connected at the other end thereof to the center region of the sealing means and said outer links being pivotally connected at the other ends thereof to said sealing means at points longitudinally spaced from said center region; biasing means operatively connected to said sealing means for urging said sealing means into said retracted position, said biasing means comprising a pair of coil springs each connected at one end thereof to said sealing means substantially at the points at which the other ends of said outer links are connected, said coil springs extending from said one end thereof inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of said outer links and being connected at the other ends thereof to said casing; and actuating means operatively connected to said sealing means for moving the same to said sealing position against the bias of said biasing means and including an actuating member engaging another element when the door is closed to actuate said actuating means, whereby due to the rigidity of said rigid center link said actuating means will move said elongated sealing means in the region of said rigid center link into close contact with the floor and said elongated sealing means will, due to the elasticity of said outer links, be adapted to pivot about said rigid center link and engage in the sealing position thereof the floor with necessary pressure along its entire length even if such floor is inclined to the bottom edge of the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,107 Beale Oct. 26', 1909 2,167,776 Raible Aug. 1, 1939 2,629,147 Smith et al. Feb. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 612,630 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1948 

1. A DRAFT EXCLUDING STRIP TO CLOSE A GAP BETWEEN THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A DOOR AND A FLOOR, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, ELONGATED SEALING MEANS EXTENDING ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE DOOR; LINK MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SEALING MEANS AND MOVABLE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE BETWEEN A SEALING POSITION WHEREIN SAID SEALING MEANS ENGAGE SAID FLOOR AND A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID SEALING MEANS ARE SPACED FROM SAID FLOOR, SAID LINK MEANS COMPRISING A RIGID CENTER LINK OF FIXED LENGTH AND A PAIR OF ELASTICALLY EXTENSIBLE OUTER LINKS LOCATED RESPECTIVELY AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTER LINK, SAID LINKS EXTENDING INCLINED IN ONE DIRECTION TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE DOOR AND BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO THE DOOR ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF, SAID CENTER LINK BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THE OTHER END THEREOF TO THE CENTER REGION OF THE SEALING MEANS AND SAID OUTER LINKS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THE OTHER ENDS THEREOF TO SAID SEALING MEANS AT POINTS LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID CENTER REGION; BIASING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID SEALING MEANS AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF TO SAID DOOR FOR URGING SAID SEALING MEANS INTO SAID RETRACTED POSITION; AND ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SEALING MEANS FOR MOVING THE SAME TO SAID SEALING POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS AND INCLUDING AN ACTUATING MEMBER ENGAGING ANOTHER ELEMENT WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED TO ACTUATE SAID ACTUATING MEANS, WHEREBY DUE TO THE RIGIDITY OF SAID RIGID CENTER LINK SAID ACTUATING MEANS WILL MOVE SAID ELONGATED SEALING MEANS IN THE REGION OF SAID RIGID CENTER LINK INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FLOOR AND SAID ELONGATED SEALING MEANS WILL, DUE TO THE ELASTICITY OF SAID OUTER LINKS, BE ADAPTED TO PIVOT ABOUT SAID RIGID CENTER LINK AND ENGAGE IN THE SEALING POSITION THEREOF THE FLOOR WITH NECESSARY PRESSURE ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH EVEN IF SUCH FLOOR IS INCLINED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE DOOR. 